“It’s been fourteen hours since Katie disappeared,” Rob began. “There’s been no ransom demand, which quite frankly isn’t good news, so we have to assume the kidnapper never planned to release her.”
Heads drooped as the reality of what he was saying penetrated.
“If we don’t get her back, she’s not coming back.”
“As you know, the voice on Candy’s phone was female. We’ve sent it off to be analysed but we won’t get anything back until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. In the meantime, I need you to look into all the possible suspects on the list Lisa Wells made this evening. You’ve all been emailed a copy. Mallory and I are going to visit the residents in the street tomorrow, just in case the door-to-door missed something.”
At Celeste’s worried frown, he added, “We’re running out of options.” He wasn’t second guessing her.
“There’s no CCTV in Belgrave Street, but there is on Lonsdale Road and at the roundabout by the Waterman’s Arms, so let’s see if any of the residents’ vehicles were picked up on that during the window of Katie’s abduction.”
Heads nodded.
“Thanks for staying, everyone. I know it’s late. Let’s push through and get as much information as we can, and then call it a night. Try and get a few hours’ sleep before you come back in tomorrow. You’re no use to me if you’re a bunch of zombies.”
A few smiles.
“Oh, and we have the Crimewatch team coming in tomorrow. Harry will be their point of contact, so refer them to him if they try to speak to you directly. We can’t have them getting in the way of this investigation.”
Harry grinned good naturedly at the few joking murmurs passed his way. Being mixed-race with Indian heritage, he was extraordinarily good looking. Slanted brown eyes, criminally long lashes and a model bone structure.
“Right, thanks again everyone. We’ll have an update at eight o’clock tomorrow morning.”
By four AM Rob was falling asleep at his desk. There was a camp bed in one of the back offices, if he was desperate, but he only lived down the road.
The squad room was eerily quiet, the neon clock casting its blue light over the sleeping computers.
He scanned out and said goodbye to the duty sergeant as he left. Weariness tugged at his body and he stumbled rather than walked the short distance home. Anyone watching would think he was drunk.
It was a balmy night. Tomorrow was going to be hot.
“Christ Trigger, I’m sorry,” he said, as he walked through the door and a golden Labrador launched itself at him. He’d completely forgotten to dash home and feed the dog. Since Yvette had left, he’d taken to leaving the sliding patio door open so Trigger could get into the back garden, and he had plenty of water, but he no doubt was starving.
Rob fed him, then collapsed on the ancient, worn sofa in the lounge. He’d spent many a night on it when Yvette had been having one of her sulks. Now that was something he didn’t miss.
He closed his eyes and tried not to think of Katie. It was impossible. Her small, serious face with her clear blue eyes flickered behind his vision. He was dimly aware of Trigger coming into the lounge and curling up on the floor next to him. Katie’s face morphed into Lisa’s, her eyes glistening with tears.
You will find her? She begged. Please, get my Katie back.
And finally, the images faded to black.
Rob woke groggy, unsure of where he was.
Aah, the lounge. He’d fallen asleep on the sofa. Already Trigger was prancing around him. Feed me, he seemed to be saying, tongue lolling to the side.
Crap, what time was it? He had a briefing at eight.
His phone, on its last bar, read 07:30.
Spurring into action, he fed Trigger, showered, dressed and left the house, all in twenty minutes.
“I promise I’ll take you for a long walk later,” he told a panting Trigger as he closed the door. These long hours were thankfully few and far between, only when he had a big case on. Normally, it wasn’t like this.
Trigger wined pitifully as he closed the door. Yvette had refused to take him when she’d left, even though he’d bought the dog for her. A clean break, she’d said. Nothing to remind her of him.
It was crazy to think he’d had such a detrimental effect on someone else’s wellbeing. And how much she hated him for it.
But that was on him. It wasn’t Trigger’s fault.
At least Jo was also in law enforcement, so she understood. Her own hours were unpredictable, her own caseload erratic and inconsistent. There were times when he hardly saw her, and others when she’d stay for days and he was almost happy. But then she’d leave again, before they got too comfortable.
It was perfect.
Everyone was in by eight, including the Chief Superintendent. No surprises there. He always arrived before everyone else.
Rob could tell by his loaded gaze that he wanted to have a word, but there wasn’t time. He’d promised a briefing at eight.
Katie had been missing for twenty-four hours.
He updated his team on their tasks for the day. Chasing up forensics, analysing camera footage, and digging into their new pool of potential suspects. The tail they’d put on Brian Wells hadn’t resulted in anything. He’d gone straight home after his stint in the nick and hadn’t left.
“That rules him out, then,” stated Mallory.
It was beginning to look like it, but Rob left the tail on him, just in case.
He eventually succumbed to DCS Sam Lawrence’s silent summons and entered the fishbowl. The normally stalwart Chief Superintendent’s pinched expression said it all.
“I don’t mind telling you, Rob, I’m under a huge amount of pressure on this one. Is there anything definite on the girl?”
“Only the woman’s voice on the phone, but we don’t know if she’s the kidnapper. We’re assuming she is, for now.” Because it was all they had.
“What do the tech
